Using Your Position For Personal Gain Is Corruption – ICPC
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC has described as corruption a situation where an individual uses his official position for personal gains.
The Resident Commissioner, ICPC Enugu State Office, Amedu Sule, said this during the “Enugu State Integrity Debate Competition” recently organized by Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC) in partnership with the ICPC, Enugu State Office for secondary schools in the state.
He pointed out that corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation, adding that it denies us the opportunity of having social amenities.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Head of Public Enlightenment and Education, Mr. Suleiman Achile stated that though corruption is everywhere, it can be fought.
He insisted that corruption must be fought to a logical conclusion, adding that if the menace is not fought, it will affect the future of the youth and the nation.
The Country Director of GSAC, Mrs Amaka Nweke, in her remarks, expressed worry over the alarming rate of corruption which she said had eaten deep into almost every Nigerian society.
Nweke called on all and sundry to join forces in waging war against the menace, expressing satisfaction with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for being a consistent pacesetter in the promotion of anti-corruption in the State.
She noted that the theme of the event was deliberately centred around enlightening young people on issues concerning fighting corruption because of its adverse effect on society.
According to Nweke, “The theme of this year’s Integrity Debate revolves around changing the corrupt practices narratives of Nigerians in our onward march to a corruption-free society.
“The state-wide Integrity Debate is among us to stay. The Integrity Debate is not a one-off program. It is also one of the activities of the Save the Young against Corruption Campaign that we would officially unveil soon”.
She added that GSAC had in the past partnered with the government of the state and anti-corruption agencies, ICPC and EFCC, to drive home the message of integrity to the people of Enugu.
The Debate which featured nine schools ended with Osisatech Girls Secondary School, Enugu in the first position, Trans Ekulu Girls, second position while Queens School Enugu emerged third in the competition.
Other schools that participated in the debate included Federal Government College, Enugu; Uwani Boys Enugu; Methodist High School, Agbani; Urban Boys Secondary School, Nsukka; Community Secondary School, Umueze; and Government Secondary School, Enugu. The second and third phases of the competition is expected to take place soon.
ICPC Recovered N120 million For Adamawa – Governor Fintiri
Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has disclosed that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) helped the State Government to recover the sum of N120 million from the State’s Commercial Farmers Loans Scheme.
Fintiri, while speaking at the commissioning of the new Adamawa State Office complex of the ICPC, through the Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Crowther Seth, commended ICPC’s contributions to the promotion of integrity, transparency and accountability in the State.
He further said that “the introduction of various governance reforms, especially the establishment of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units in MDAs, which have been playing pivotal roles in ensuring that public officials observe due process in the conduct of government affairs”.
The Governor also underscored the partnership between the State and the Commission, which had contributed in no small measure to the realisation of the objectives of the State Government’s programmes and project.
He called on ICPC to consider building the capacity of Adamawa State government officials, especially members of the Anti-corruption Units in MDAs to, not only resist the temptation of being corrupt, but also have a full grasp of the anti-corruption laws and extant regulations to guide their daily official and private transactions.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Hon. Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), expressed his gratitude to the Governor and people of Adamawa State for the generous support towards the Commission.
He stated that ICPC was empowered by law to set up offices in the 36 states of the Federation, adding that the Adamawa State Office was the third prototype-built office structure to be commissioned after Oyo and Sokoto States offices.
The Hon. Chairman also revealed that the Adamawa State Office was among the second set of the State Offices that were established by ICPC in 2007 with a few members of Staff in a rented apartment.
According to him, the new office building “is in fulfilment of ICPC’S dream to own its offices in all the States of the Federation”.
It also serves to “to fulfill the promise made by the Commission at a National Anti-Corruption Summit held in February 2018 here in Yola to complement the effort of the Adamawa State in establishing agencies like the Public Procurement Agency and for incorporating the provisions of the ICPC Act in the State’s Penal Code”.
Professor Owasanoye further thanked the former Governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako who had approved the allocation of the plot of land on which the office edifice was constructed to the Commission in 2012.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Suleiman Abdu Kwari, who was represented by Senator Binos Dauda Yaro, thanked the Hon. Chairman and the Board for the bold steps of proper utilization of the Commission’s finances and promised to support the Commission in its effort through appropriation and legislative interventions.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman House of Representative Committee on Anti-Corruption, Hon. Garba Shehu (Sarkin Noma) commended the Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the Chairman and Board of ICPC for this remarkable feat.
According to him, the fight against corruption in Adamawa State in particular, and the North-East in general will receive a fresh impetus by the commissioning of the new office as it will provide a conducive environment that will help in delivering the mandate of the Commission.
He further congratulated the Staff of ICPC who will make use of the facility and urge them to reciprocate by being more committed to and productive in their job.
Taking the vote of thanks, the Secretary to the Commission, Professor Musa Usman Abubakar thanked all the guests that found time to come to the commissioning of the State Office building and wished all guests a safe trip back to their respective destinations.
